‘Baby leave’ for MPs


Last month, Parliament voted to introduce formal baby leave for MPs which will give them leave entitlement and the right to vote by proxy.


The motion was introduced by Labour MP Harriet Harman with cross-party support from MPs Maria Miller (Conservative) and Hannah Bardell (SNP). 


There are now over 200 women MPs in Parliament. Since 2010, 17 babies have been born to women MPs, and many more male MPs have become new fathers.


Responding to news that the motion had been passed unopposed, Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society gender equality campaign, said it was essential for the modernisation of democracy “that we put basic things such as baby leave in place”. 


https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/01/baby-leave-proxy-voting-system-for-mps-close-to-approval